CHAPTER 63

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CHAPTER 63

POV RODRIC

What he said really made sense. What 10-year-old boy would dare to camp alone in the woods, let alone kill 12 bandits? If he lived through a few years of hardship, it would boost his development significantly. But I was not too fond of him underestimating the knights.

This wasn't a decision I could make on my own. İt made sense to test him; if he doesn't pass this test, we'll be closing this issue. If he passes the test, we can let him explore comfortably, but I must discuss this with the Lord first.

When I entered the Lord's solar, I saw him drowning in paperwork. When he realized it was me, he lifted his head from the papers and said.

"Rodrik! have you come to save me from these papers? Please tell me the wildlings have crossed the wall, and we must go to war immediately, right?"

"I'm sorry, my lord, but I need to consult you on an important matter, so I need some time."

"Whatever it is, it is welcomed as long as it takes me away from these wretched papers, at least for some time."

"My lord, Aermir requests permission to explore The North."

Lord Stark's smiling face suddenly turned serious.

"Of course, we will refuse."

"I don't think he will accept that, and he made a compelling argument to me."

"Ohh, what did he say?"

"My Lord, you know that Aermir is not a normal boy, and I expected such a request from him, but not so soon. I thought he would ask this when he is four and ten name-days old, and he said you could not grow a fierce eagle in a golden cage." the Lord paused for a few minutes, then said.

"As you said, he is too young; tell him to ask this when he is four and ten name-days old."

"I told him that, but he made a better counterargument."

"What is it this time?"

" He reminded me. He regularly camps in the Wolfswood by himself and hunted down 12 bandits with nothing but a bow and arrows. The first few times, I even sent our best hunters and trackers after him, so they could keep him safe from a distance, but the outcome was the same every time. The second he steps into the forest, he disappears; none of them can track him. Even though they are faster than him in the open, they cannot follow his speed in the forest. They say it is like fish getting into the water, or some of them call him forest spirit. He even told me to test him with 20 knights."

"What! that boy become too arrogant too fast. He needs a lesson on how dangerous this world really is. Twenty knights, 20 knights... hahah! this boy..."

"My lord, he doesn't mean he will fight them in a melee; he wants us to try and ambush him in the woods like bandits and claims he cannot be ambushed with ordinary ways."

"That is arrogant too! Very well, we will give him a test; call your son."

"My Lord, he doesn't want to fight against household guards. He knows those knights are too strong for him. he wants to fight against young knights, and I think it is the proper opponent, too. If we send him, he is not going to encounter an army. He is going to fight against bandit groups."

"Call for him; I want to talk to him."

"Yes, my lord."

POV NED STARK

"You call for me, my lord."

"Yes, Aermir. Rodrik told me what you want, and I'm inclined not to give my permission."

"My Lord, please stop treating me like a naive little boy. Yes, I know I m a child. But we all know I'm not normal. I learned everything Winterfell has to offer, and I have to travel to develop more. Suppose I continue to stay here under your protection. I will go stagnant if I want to grow more powerful. What I need is a challenge, not protection."

After listening to his words, I got shaken a bit, and I looked him in the eye with great focus and then took a deep breath. This boy, every time we talk, I can't win against him. he is like a force of nature, unbreakable, untamable, and every time wears me down with his answers.

"What is your hurry? If you asked for this 3 or 4 years later, I would have granted it without thought, but know you are too young. Yes, I know you are strong, and I bet you can beat most grown-ups in a sword fight. But I still think this is still too early. If I gave you this permission and you got hurt or worse. I would feel like I betrayed the north.

"My Lord, I don't even want to waste one day of my life in stagnation. To me, 3 or 4 years that I'm going to spend here without doing anything would feel like 15 or 20 years." I don't understand him. It feels like I'm talking to an old man, not a ten-name-day boy. he has the wonder lust of a little boy that wants to discover everything in his home but at the same time has the logic of a wise old man. He is a giant conundrum.

I cannot deny I want to see if he can win against 20 knights in an ambush.

"Will you tell me how it is possible you cannot be ambushed?"

"Like I explained to Sir Rodrik, if I'm out in the open, nobody will be able to ambush me, thanks to my ravens. They will always warn me if a human gets close to me."

"Your ravens... how?" I was confused; how could a raven tell something like that?

"I have trained them always to circle me when we are out in the wild. So, when they see a human, it is very easy for them to spot humans when they are flying, and the enemy has no idea they are being watched. After spotting someone, they will come to me and perch on my shoulder, then point in the direction they will be coming so I will always know if someone is getting close. this way can decide if I'm going to fight or flight." I was shocked.

"How... how can you train an animal like that? How is that possible?"

"How do maesters train ravens to travel from one point to another... I do the same with years of patience and a little bit of talent."